Sunday, December 30, 2012

One of my favorite comfort-soups is Greek Avgolemono--thick chicken-based soup with lemon, dill and egg. Since taking meat and poultry out of my diet, I have craved avgolemono, especially when I am feeling stuffy. Finding a good recipe for a vegan version in Vegan Eats World: 300 International Recipes for Savoring the Planet by Terry Hope Romero, I knew I had to try it.

Terry Hope Romero co-authored Veganomicon, one of my very favorite vegan cookbooks for recipes and inspiration. Vegan Eats World is equally inspiring. The 300 recipes feature global flavors and a wide variety of recipes. A friend gifted it to me for Christmas and it is already studded with tabs of things I want to make--starting with her "No" golemono.

Terry Hope Romero says, "The zesty classic egg-lemon chicken soup gets a vegan makeover with the help of white beans and a touch of aborio rice. Aborio is usually reserved for risottos, but in soups it expands and softens to create a creamy base. This will thicken considerably as it cools, so for a thinner soup, stir in 1/2 to 1 cup of hot vegetable broth; a high quality vegetarian chicken-flavored broth is especially suited here"

In a 3-quart soup pot, fry the onion and carrot in olive oil over medium-high heat until the onion is translucent and soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and fry for another 45 seconds, then pour in the white wine and bring to a simmer, stirring frequently.

In a mixing bowl, puree the beans with 1 cup of the vegetable broth, then add to pot along with the remaining broth, aborio rice, bay leave, oregano, dill, and orzo pasta. Increase heat to high and bring to a boil for 5 minutes. Reduce heat to low, stir a few times, and cover the pot. Cook for 30 to 35 minutes, uncovering the pot occasionally to stir and check to see if the rice is sticking. The soup is ready when the orzo is tender and the rice is meltingly soft.

When done, turn off the heat, stir in the lemon juice, and keep covered for 10 minute. Remove the bay leaves and season soup to taste with ground pepper, salt, and additional lemon juice if desired. Sprinkle each serving with a little dried oregano or chopped parsley.

Notes/Results:A thick and creamy bowl of comfort that tastes pretty close to the original--especially with the vegetarian chicken broth. I pureed the beans in the blender and they nicely subbed for the usual egg--without the hassle of tempering them and having to gradually whisk them into the soup. The lemon and dill stand out in the soup and I didn't find any need for extra salt. As Terry Hope Romero mentions, this soup does become extremely thick--I like it that way, but if you don't, have plenty of the stock on hand to add to it. I served mine with some dolmades (stuffed grape leaves). This soup satisfies a craving in a healthier way--I would make this again.

We have a few friends in the Souper Sundays kitchen this week--let's take a look.

Stash of Simple Kitchen Seasons is back with a pretty bowl of Minestrone Invernale and says, "One seasonal favorite that makes a regular appearance at my table is minestrone. Its content depends on what’s
good at the market, and almost always contains a bounty of fresh
vegetables, packed with flavor. You can make it from ingredients that
literally cost pennies. It pays for itself after the first meal, as the
flavors develop marvelously on the second and succeeding days
thereafter.It’s a substantial soup that’s nearly a meal in
itself. Pair with a green salad, a crusty loaf of bread and a glass of
crisp, dry white wine, and you have the makings of a perfect lunch or
dinner."

Please join me in welcoming Deanna from Yummy Good Soups and Salads!, joining us for the first time at Souper Sundays with this decadent Buttery Onion Soup. She says, "A perfect soup for a special dinner. I would suggest serving a cup of this soup rather than a bowl, its rich and very filling. Taste is delicious, smooth, creamy, velvety & buttery. I have served it with both oyster cracker and croutons and prefer the croutons, especially if
they are home made croutons. Yummy good!" Welcome Deanna!

Finally one salad this week, a kasha masterpiece from Janet at The Taste Space, this Kasha with Sauteed Mushrooms and Dill. Janet says, "To flavour this dish, I adapted the recipe in Appetite for Reduction for Sauteed Kasha and Mushrooms with Dill, a pasta-less version of Kasha Varnishkes.
The fluffy kasha is combined with sauteed mushrooms and onions. Lots of
black pepper and dill make this dish flavourful, despite it looking so
bland on paper."

Thanks to Stash, Deanna and Janet for joining in this week. If you have a soup, salad, or sandwich that you would like to share just click on the souper sundays logo on the side bar for all of the details.Have a happy, healthy week and a Happy New Year!

Thursday, December 27, 2012

Is anything more comforting than sweet warm spiced apples? This Indian-flavored version adapted from Madhur Jaffrey adds cardamom to the mix. I made a few changes to the recipe--reducing the sugar and butter, adding dried sweet cherries for extra color, changing the whipped cream topping to sweetened yogurt, etc. My changes are in red below.

Jaffrey says, "An easy dessert that can be made with any tart, firm apples such as Granny Smiths. It may be served hot or warm."

*Topping: 1 cup yogurt2 tsp honey 2 Tbsp unsalted pistachios, choppedMelt the butter over low heat in a large, nonstick frying pan. Take the pan off the heat. Peel, core, and slice the apples thinly, dropping the slices into the butter as you cut them. Fold them into the butter as you go so they do not discolor. (You could, if you like, keep the frying pan over very low heat as you do this.) Add the cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, sugar, almonds, walnuts and cherries if using. Cook on medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring gently as you do so. Then turn the heat to high. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring very gently now and then, until the apples have lightly caramelized. Serve on individual plates with a dollop of the yogurt and sprinkle with chopped pistachio.*Note: Jaffrey's recipe suggests heavy whipping cream blended with half of the pistachios. Instead, I sweetened thick Greek yogurt with a touch of honey and sprinkled all of the pistachios on top as a garnish.

Notes/Results: I am used to warm cinnamon apples but the cardamom is an excellent addition. The warming spices are so good with the apples--it makes for a cozy little dish, especially with the sweetened yogurt on top. I did reduced the butter and sugar by half--since I used 2 Honey Crisp apples with the 2 Granny Smith's and added the dried cherries, I thought it would be plenty sweet and it was. My mandoline sliced apples were perhaps a bit thin to hold their shape but the flavor was there. This was a great, easy not-to-heavy dessert. I will make it again.

We are celebrating Red & Greenat I Heart Cooking Clubs--perfect for the holiday week. You can see what everyone made by going to the post and following the links.

Sunday, December 23, 2012

The craving hit for broccoli-cheese soup and I wanted one without the dairy and the calories and fat it brings. Originally I was going to make my favorite go-to vegan cheese sauce fromChloe's Kitchen by Chloe Coscarelli and stir it into a creamy broccoli soup, but when I went to look it up, I found she had a recipe for Cheesy Broccoli Soup in Sourdough Bread Bowls. Since it was easier and faster than making a separate sauce, I gave it a try--adding a red bell pepper for some holiday color. I didn't have bread bowls but served with some hunks of baguette, it was a satisfying dinner. My changes are in red below.

Chloe says, "This soup has a smooth cheesy base with hearty chunks of tender broccoli. I always turn to this soup when I am in need of a cozy comfort food. This dish is perfect for rainy day blues."

Add broth, non-dairy milk, and broccoli. Bring to a simmer, cover, reduce heat to medium-low and let simmer for 20 minutes until broccoli is tender.

Spoon out a small amount of broccoli florets and red pepper pieces and reserve. In batches, transfer the remaining soup to a blender and puree. Return pureed soup to the pot and add the reserved broccoli florets and red pepper. Over low heat, stir in nutritional yeast until incorporated. Add lemon juice and season to taste with salt and black pepper. Mix well.Ladle into bowls and garnish with additional red pepper if desired. Enjoy!

Notes/Results: I love a soup that tastes decadent but really is a healthy choice. This one has that creamy, cheesy taste and texture but is low-fat and cholesterol free. The nutritional yeast adds vitamins--along with the red pepper and broccoli. It's not quite the gooey, cheese-filled bowl you may have had but it makes a great substitution, totally filling the craving. I would make this again.

Just a couple of friends visiting the Souper Sundays kitchen this week with one soup and one salad to share--let's take a look.

Pam from Sidewalk Shoes made Rich Barley Beef Soup and says, "One of my favorite combinations for soup is beef and barley, so when I saw Rich Beef Barley Soup in Barefoot Contessa, How Easy Is That?: Fabulous Recipes & Easy TipsI
knew I wanted to try it. I was intrigued by the two cups of leeks,
that seemed like a lot, and I don’t recall making a version like that.It
was yummy! Unfortunately I couldn’t find oxtails, so I used a chuck
with some bone. And again, I just tossed everything in the slow cooker,
except for the barley, and set it on low for 8 hours. I cooked the
barley separate and added it to the soup about 30 minutes before
serving."

Janet of The Taste Space made this green and gorgeous Herby Peanutty Noodly Salad and says, "Herby, peanutty noodly salad. I couldn’t even make up a name as fun as this (Rob probably could but he didn’t).
Pick your favourite herbs and toss them in this lime-spiked dressing.
Coat noodles of your choice and add in some green vegetables like snow
peas, snap peas or even broccoli. Toss with some (toasted) peanuts for
some crunch and fats. Not as decadent as the meals this weekend, but I
am ok with that."

Many thanks to Pam and Janet for joining in this week. If you have a soup, salad, or sandwich that you would like to share, just click on the Souper Sundays logo for all of the details. Have a happy healthy holiday week!

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

Lentils are a staple in my house. They are budget-friendly, warming to the body and soul, and, provide a satisfying alternative to eating meat. This lentil dal recipe uses common green/brown lentils and adds flavor with fresh cilantro, mint and ground coriander and dried chiles. Simple and full of flavor.

Jaffrey says, "For speed, I use a pressure cooker, although you could cook the lentils in any ordinary saucepan for 50 to 60 minutes. You would need to increase the water by 1 1/4 cups. If you can't get fresh mint, use more cilantro."

Put the oil in a pressure cooker and set over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, put in the cumin and mustard seeds. As soon as the mustard seeds begin to pop (this takes just a few seconds), put in the asafetida and the red chiles. Stir once. Put in the onion, garlic, and tomato. Stir for about 2 minutes or until the onion browns a bit.

Now put in the lentils, 3 1/2 cups water, salt, ground coriander, cilantro, and mint. Stir and bring to a simmer. Cover, turn the heat to high, and bring up to pressure. Turn the heat down to low and cook at full pressure for 15 minutes. Take off the heat and reduce the pressure with cool water poured onto the lid. Stir and serve.

Notes/Results: Good flavor and mild heat. The cilantro and mint add fresh herbal notes. This is pure, basic comfort food--especially when served with a good Indian bread like paratha. I have a pressure cooker but I just did these in a pot of the stove rather than dragging it out as I had a late lunch and wasn't in a hurry. I added the extra water as directed and put the mint and cilantro in towards the end. I would make this again.

We are cooking Foods To Warm You Up over at I Heart Cooking Clubs. You can check out the snuggly dishes people made by following the post links.

Sunday, December 16, 2012

The January 2013 issue of Real Simple magazine had "10 Ideas for Soup" in their Quick Takes column. The picture of tomato soup with croutons and big shavings of Parmesan cheese on top caught my eye right off. (I am a sucker for good garnishing!) I changed up their recipe sketch a good bit, adding extra ingredients like fennel, garlic and dried basil, and added some bread to the soup base to make it even thicker. A great festive soup for an easy holiday lunch or dinner.

Tomato-Fennel Soup with Parmesan and CroutonsInspired by Real Simple, January 2013(Serves 4)

Meanwhile
cube the slices of thickly cut bread. Take out about 1 cup and set aside. Toss remaining cubes with olive oil and
dried Italian spices if desired. Either bake at 350 degrees for about 25
minutes, turning once or brown in a large pan on the stove until
brown and crispy. To the soup pot, add tomatoes with their juices, vegetable broth, tomato paste and about one cup of the bread cubes and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and let soup simmer for 20 minutes. Puree using an immersion blender or carefully in a blender in small batches. Taste for seasoning.

Pour in pureed soup bowls and top with 1/4 of the breadcrumbs, several large Parmesan shavings and a little chopped fennel frond. Enjoy!

Notes/Results: Excellent! This soup has great flavor and the bites with crouton and Parmesan are so good. The fennel isn't pronounced--it just adds another layer of flavor to the bowl. Two recommendations I would make--buy great canned tomatoes--a good Italian brand is nice, and make your own croutons so they are fresh and crispy rather than hard/dry. I used a roasted garlic bread, baked locally that was perfect. This soup goes together quickly and easily in about 30 minutes total--making it great and satisfying with a salad on a busy day. I will make it again.

Let's check out the Souper Sundays kitchen for a few good friends and their fabulous recipes.

Elizabeth of The Law Student's Cookbook made this spicy Jalapeno-Ginger Butternut Soup. She says, "I love butternut squash. I love soup. The combination of the two is the perfect blend. This soup is perfect. I had it with some garlic bread that I had in the
freezer. It was the perfect meal for a cold night. Apparently I forgot
to add the water from the original recipe in, so my soup was definitely
thicker than it would have been. While it may have made it last longer
to have added the water, I liked the consistency a lot the way it was."

Tigerfish of Teczcape - An Escape to Food is here with a creamy Coconut Curry Pumpkin Soup and says, "It usually happens during the fall/winter season, cooking a soup themed around pumpkin/squash... The urge towards pumpkin soup gets stronger when a good quality can of pumpkin puree (Farmers Market Organic Pumpkin)
is so easily available. And not that I want to exclaim in such a
cheapskate manner...oh well, and when that can of pumpkin comes so
cheap! For just a dollar!"

Joanne ofEats Well With Others has two entries--a soup this week and a sandwich down below. The soup is a hearty Indian-Spiced Roasted Squash Soup. Joanne says, "Butternut squash soup that is so pumpkin pie spice- and brown
sugar-infused that you're fairly certain you should top it with whipped
cream and a dusting of graham cracker crumbs and call it "after dinner
snack number one". Not that that sounds bad, but truth be told...I'd rather just have pie. I much prefer my squash soups to be unmistakably savory, with layers of
heat and spice, and a dollop of a little something with a hint of sweet
on top. That being said, this curry-infused version is pretty much the perfect
catch. Dare I say, if I found myself under the mistletoe with a bowl
of it...I might even throw all propriety out the window and lick the
damn thing clean."

Janet of The Taste Space has our only salad this week, her Baby Quinoa (Kaniwa) Bowl with Cranberry Jicama Salsa and Sweet Squash Puree. About baby quinoa, Janet says, "Due to its small nature, the texture is quite different. It reminded me
of the pebbly nature of amaranth without its gluey consistency. I ended
up tossing it in a festive bowl with a simple cranberry jicama salsa and
a chili-spiked butternut squash gravy/sauce. The seemingly odd
combination of ingredients worked really well… and awfully pretty, too, I
may add."

And one very luscious sandwich this week from Joanne at Eats Well With Others, this Apple, Leek and Gruyere Grilled Cheese. Joanne says, "Grilled cheese. Is. Timeless. I love it stuffed with American cheese and tomatoes (classic). I love it stuffed with straight up cheddar (also classic). AND
I love this more adult version that I've created, which is stuffed with
caramelized leeks, apples and gruyere. The leeks become almost buttery
in the way of caramelized onions, which is complimented perfectly by the
tart apples and the nutty melty heavenly cheese."

Thanks to everyone who joined in this week. If you have a soup, salad or sandwich that you would like to share, just click on the Souper Sundays logo on my side bar for all of the details.Have a happy, healthy week!

Thursday, December 13, 2012

This Rice with Peas and Dill dish reminds me a little of the Persian rice, lima beans, and dill called baghali polo. My first roommate and I used to have occasionally have dinner at her aunt and uncle's house. Her uncle is Iranian, and used to make a delicious baghali polo with big chunks of chicken. He would often send a container-full home with us with plenty of tahdig--the crispy layer of rice that develops at the bottom of the pot while it cooks. I am not ashamed to admit that my roommate didn't get very much of it--I would devour every bite that I could.

Although different with the cardamom, cloves and garam masala instead of saffron, and peas instead of lima beans, it was still delicious and brought back some good memories. I served mine with some herb-roasted salmon, and, with plenty of leftovers I see some Indian-flavored fried rice in my future this weekend.

Jaffrey says, "This dish is just as good for the family as it is for dinner guests."

Put the rice in a bowl and wash well in several changes of water. Drain and leave in a strainer set over a bowl.

Put the oil in a heavy saucepan and set over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, put in the cloves and cardamom pods. Stir for a few seconds. Put in the onion. Stir until the onion is brown. Put in the rice, 1 teaspoon salt, garam masala, and dill. Stir for a minute. Now put in the stock and a second teaspoon of salt if needed, and bring to a boil. Cover very tightly, turn the heat to very, very low, and cook for 20 minutes. Put in the peas. Cook for another 5 to 7 minutes. Stir gently before serving.

Notes/Results: Simple and really good. I kept the recipe mostly the same, just using veggie broth in place of chicken and reducing the oil by about half. I missed the "cut into half rings" on the onion and ended up chopping them. Whoops. The flavors in this are good and nothing overpowers so it can be served with lots of different dishes. Even with the full 1/4 of dill, I might have liked a bit more, and will add extra next time. There was a nice layer of crispy rice tahdig at the bottom of the cooking pot--the best part in my book. ;-) I would make this again.

It's Rice is Nice week at I Heart Cooking Clubs. You can check out the Madhur Jaffrey rice dishes everyone made by going to the post and following the links.

Sunday, December 9, 2012

With my last two soups being on the "fancier" side (Curried Shrimp Bisque and Saffron-Flavored Garlic Soup with Potatoes), I was craving something simple, brothy and full of beans and veggies. A thrown together version of Pasta e Fagioli fit the bill. I had a bunch of leftover herbs to use up, but if you didn't, you could easily used dried, substituting in your favorites.

Sometimes I like to cook the spinach in the soup, other times I like it just wilted so I put chopped spinach in the soup bowl and let it "cook" with the hot soup ladled in. I think it looks festive--like a little holiday wreath this way. ;-)

Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat, then add onion, celery, carrot and garlic. Stir and cook until starting to soften--about 5 minutes. Add rosemary, parsley, thyme and sun-dried tomatoes and cook another 2 to 3 minutes. Add broth and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer about 10 minutes. Add beans and cook another 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Stir in cooked pasta and season to taste with salt and pepper. Add a pinch of crushed red pepper (if using) and stir in basil. To serve, place about 3/4 cup of chopped baby spinach in each soup bowl. (Shallow bowls work best.) Spoon in hot soup onto spinach and top with freshly-grated Parmesan cheese. Enjoy!

Notes/Results: The herbs give this relatively quick to make soup great flavor combined with the veggies and pieces of sun-dried tomatoes. Rosemary and thyme love to be paired with beans. This is a basic soup--great for interpreting your way with your favorite ingredients, and it makes a wonderful warm and hearty nutritious dinner. I would make it again.

We have some satisfying soups waiting in the Souper Sunday kitchen--let's take a look.Nicola of Lemon and Cheese is back at Souper Sundays this week with a tasty and satisfying Portuguese Kale and Bean Soup and says, "This soup was awesome, it is such a comforting dish and it has lovely kale which makes it feel nice and healthy too."

Tigerfish of Teczcape - An Escape to Food offers up a creamy Portobello Mushroom Soup and says, "Here comes the intensely woodsy Portobello Mushroom Soup with the
soup base started off with sauteed onions and mushrooms till onions are
translucent and lightly caramelized (meaning...sweet!) and when
mushrooms are tender-soft."

Joanne of Eats Well With Others made a hearty Tuscan Bean and Wheatberry Soup with Cabbage and Winter Squash as a cure for stress ;-) and says, "At least not until my nerves feel slightly less frayed, my post {office}
traumatic stress disorder has resolved, and enough bowls of this soup
(which tastes like good, old-fashioned comfort) have been consumed that I
can believe again that there is some good in everyone."

Finally Janet of The Taste Space has a soup and a salad to share this week. First, her soupish Red Lentil and Spinach Curry (Vegan Tikka Masala) and says, "I made my own curry paste with toasted cumin and coriander seeds and
combined it with ginger, cilantro, smoked paprika and garam masala.
Tomato paste and pureed tomatoes made this a bit more complex and the
cashew butter a more luscious body. Red lentils cook down into a mush
and the spinach added a healthy bulk. A nice, solid curry."

Janet's salad is this pretty Hazelnut-Roasted Delicata Squash with Winter Hazelnut-Sage Pesto over spinach. She says, "You actually don’t need cups of sage to make this pesto. Instead sage is
buffered with mild baby spinach to create a garlicky spread. Instead of
pine nuts, I used toasted hazelnuts and hazelnut oil to flavour this
winter pesto. The nutritional yeast adds the traditional cheesy taste
but feel free to omit it. I chose to serve it with hazelnut-roasted
delicata squash rings. Served on more greens, you have a very flavourful
salad."

Thanks to everyone who joined in this week. If you have a soup, salad or sandwich that you would like to share, just click on the Souper Sundays logo on the side bar and you'll find all the details.

Home of Souper (Soup, Salad & Sammie) Sundays

About Me

Originally from the beautiful but rainy Pacific Northwest, I have been living in beautiful and (mostly) sunny Hawaii for the past 15 years. Foodie and Certified Health Coach--I love all things related to food and cooking. I especially like making healthy food that tastes great.